Siegel Sez


February 2, 2012
 

GUEST SERVICES


- Fraunhofer Institute testing a hotel room of the future
- DiamondHead Beach Resort implements Intelity’s ICE self-service system
- Personality Hotels selects GuestWare's Enterprise Guest Recognition system
- iBAHN, Business Travel World ask traveling public to help design a hotel room online
- Elsafe launches Sentinel II in-room safe series with RFID/NFC and RF-online options
- Fontainebleau Las Vegas picks Tri-Power Group and MobileAccess for wireless infrastructure
- Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago signs with RCN Corp for guestroom video services
- Sheraton in Bellevue, Wash. installs HP Touchsmart PC as its public Internet kiosk
------------------------
The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering and Organisation has developed one of the more interesting approaches to a hotel room of the future in one of its laboratories, with an emphasis on identifying new technology that can help guests relax.  Current technologies being evaluated include:
- all rounded surfaces (no straight lines), to promote mental calm.
- integrated light-changing sequences to bathe the room in the guest’s choice of color washes.
- a bed that gently rocks from side to side.
- an intelligent floor with sensors that predict where the guest is heading and automatically turn on the lights to help him or her get there.
- a jacuzzi tub with infra-red heating elements in the wall.
- a bathroom mirror which doubles as a computer screen for checking e-mails or general Internet access.
- a vapor pot pumping aromatherapy steam.
- a mini-bar with a mini-robot to bring the drinks to the guest.
- a voice-activated, wall-mounted control unit to manage the above, and to respond to hotel-information questions such as "What are the dinner specials tonight?" or "What time is breakfast served?"
- electronic windows that turn from transparent to opaque at a single command and then function as a giant video display for movies, TV, etc.
http://www.iao.fraunhofer.de, video at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7802945.stm
**
The 31-suite DiamondHead Beach Resort on Ft. Myers Beach, Fla. is implementing Intelity’s ICE self-service system in all rooms.  The ICE touch-screen interface allows guests to make reservations at a spa or restaurant, arrange a taxi, room service, equipment rentals and any other special request.  http://www.sunstream.com, http://www.intelityICE.com
**
Personality Hotels has selected GuestWare's Enterprise Guest Recognition system to recognize and reward members of its Personality Perks guest loyalty program visiting its seven hotels.  The new Personality Perks Web profile sign-up screen has a Web services link to GuestWare to collect guest preference information such as preferred hotel, room location, bed and pillow type, and whether or not a guest wishes to receive a complimentary newspaper or snack. GuestWare Enterprise consolidates these preferences as well as the history of every guest's stay into one database to manage the loyalty program and help the hotels consistently meet or exceed guest expectations.  http://www.personalityhotels.com, http://www.guestware.com
**
iBAHN is partnering with Business Travel World magazine to promote Our Hotel Room, an initiative that offers the traveling public the chance to help create the first hotel room developed collaboratively online.  The aim is to use these suggestions to plan and build a showcase hotel room, focusing on technologies and services that are available now but not installed in hotels, as well as those to be released over the next year. People can suggest services for the room or choose from a wish list online.  http://www.ourhotelroom.co.uk, http://www.ibahn.com
**
Elsafe has launched its Sentinel II in-room safe series, which introduces both RFID/NFC technology and RF-online options.  The Sentinel II RFID/NFC can only be opened with the designated RFID guest device or an NFC-equipped cell phone.  http://www.elsafe.com
**
The 3,815-room Fontainebleau Las Vegas, due to open in fall 2009, has selected Tri-Power Group and MobileAccess to design and implement its wireless infrastructure.  Using MobileAccess’ Universal Wireless Network, Tri-Power’s network is intended to support any combination of wireless operators, ensuring reliable coverage for public safety radio, serving as a backbone for Fontainebleau’s enterprise and Wi-Fi communications, and supporting high-speed wireless connectivity for guests’ mobile devices and the hotel staff’s private two-way radio and VoWi-Fi applications.  http://www.fontainebleau.com, http://www.tripower.com, http://www.mobileaccess.com
**
The 311-room Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago, Ill. has signed a multiyear service agreement with RCN Corp for guestroom video services.  RCN will provide all-digital cable TV and high-definition (HDTV) service (with over 100 channels of video and audio programming, including a selection of all-digital music channels) on 42-inch flat screen plasma televisions.  http://www.conradhotels.com, http://www.rcn.com
**
The Sheraton in Bellevue, Wash., has installed an HP Touchsmart PC from Uniguest as its complimentary public Internet kiosk offering.  http://www.sheraton.com/bellevue, http://www.uniguest.com
**